This invention relates to novel and useful improvements in foraminous devices for providing means for volatizing liquid substances. More particularly, this invention relates to a new distribution rectifier configuration for assisting in the atomization of liquid fuel with air mixtures normally utilized in sundry carburetion apparatus of the automotive and other internal combustion engine arts.
As is known the principal function of a carburetor is to supply a mixture of air and gasoline in proper proportions for all speeds and loads of an engine and the quantity of air - gasoline mixture supplied by the carburetor is conventionally controlled by some type of throttle valve means. Further, the atomization of gasoline into very minute particles that can be carried with an air stream depends to a large extent on the velocity of the gasoline jet means as it issues from a given carburetor orifice. The mixing of the atomized gasoline droplets is facilitated by turbulence caused by a number of factors including pulsating flow, changes of velocity, reversal of direction of flow of the air - gasoline mixture in the manifold and intake systems.
In general liquid gasoline collects on the walls and bottom portions of a manifold system and is forthwith readily swept along with drawn air entering the combustion cylinder of the engine. Heat is usually supplied to the liquid fuel by means of a "hot spot" or "hot plate" located in the intake manifold system just below the point where the carburetor is mounted. The heat is derived from the hot exhaust gas as it passes through the exhaust manifold on its way to the cylinder. In practice in constructing the intake and exhaust manifold they are brought close to each other and separated generally by a thin metal plate member.
Admittedly, there are numerous devices for assisting and improving gasoline distribution associated with standard carburetor systems. In particular, there are various devices comprising screened structures or similar materials that may be readily interpositioned between a given carburetor and the manifold system. These devices do assist in maintaining the fluid fuel away from the walls and bottom portions of the manifold system. Apparently, liquid fuel clings momentarily to such portions and therefore the fuel comes in contact with such devices where the fuel is instantly and finely atomized in its advance to the combustion cylinder. In general, these sundry devices in being fitted between the carburetor and manifold system do take on various sizes and shapes ranging from a mere piece of metal gauze to more complex devices having miniature propellers and intricate vanes associated therewith and designed to properly admix the fluid fuel.
Seemingly there is a tendency for uneven distribution of fluid fuel when passing through a conventional butterfly-type throttle valve means. Moreover, there is apparently some tendency to distribute the fluid fuel on one side or portion of the duct means upon leaving the carburetor outlet than on the other. As already stated there are numerous means employed to resolve this tendency since in a ideal situation there should be no uneven distribution of fluid fuel as this would markedly effect the effiency of an engine. In order to intimately mix the fluid fuel and air the aforementioned devices have been widely employed. Many of these devices have simply been used to either substantially atomize or vaporize the fluid fuel with varying degrees of success.
It has been found in accordance with this invention that a rather simplistic design and construction afford a highly uniform distribution of volatized fuel with an attendant savngs in fuel comsumption.